Tam Union Parcel Tax Passes by Wide Margin

, passed by a wide margin Tuesday night. The measure, which required a two-thirds majority of voters to pass, garnered 17,570 votes, or 72.4 percent, to 6,703 votes against, or 27.6 percent.

“We’re really grateful for the support from the whole community,” said Laura Anderson, a Redwood parent and co-chair of the Measure B campaign. “It’s not a huge surprise given the support in the past, but in this economy, we just weren’t sure.”

The measure is an extension of a parcel tax that was first approved in 1989 and subsequently renewed in 1997 and 2004. If approved, the parcel tax would start at $245.94 in July 2012 and rise by 3 percent annually for 10 years. Seniors are eligible for an exemption.

The Measure B campaign focused its get-out-the-vote efforts on parents in an election with low turnout expected. Non-parents make up the vast majority of the 77,000 voters within the district, which includes approximately 3,800 students attending the five schools: Tam, Drake, Redwood, Tamiscal and San Andreas high schools.

Campaign officials have said that the biggest obstacle in their outreach has been to explain the difference between a parcel tax and a bond measure, the latter of which paid for the eight-year, $100 million renovation of the Tam High campus. Parcel taxes are specific to the district’s operating budget and educational expenses.

The measure was opposed by Marin United Taxpayers Association, which submitted the official argument against the ballot measure that said the renewal goes too far and isn’t “recession-sensitive.”

The current parcel tax of $238.78 tax expires June 30, 2012. It provides about $8.5 million a year in funding, or more than 16 percent of the district’s total $52 million annual budget. The tax is used to pay for keeping student-to-teacher ratios below around 28-to-1, as well as funding programs like science and technology, social studies, foreign language, performing arts, Advanced Placement and honors courses, counseling services, fine arts and alternative education.

“All of our communities are absolutely amazing and have shown us tremendous support in so many ways over the years,” said Tam Union Superintendent Laurie Kimbrel. “In this very difficult economy, we weren’t sure what to expect. But the community showed who they are and how much they support our schools.”

Tam Union High School District - Measure B